U.S. History Ch. 19 Notes

Postwar America


G.I. Bill Of Rights

>To help WWII veterans

>Tuition for education

>1 year's unemployment pay

>Loans for businesses and farms



Economic Growth

>After the Great Depression and WWII the U.S. economy grows like never before.

>America becomes the "affluent society"
-Savings from War Bonds; Cold War Defense spending



Harry S. Truman

>Democratic president in 1945

>Supports:

-Civil Rights-desegregates military
-Farmers and unions
-National health insurance

>A conservative congress fails to pass most of the measures Truman wants

>Truman orders to end desegregation in hiring of govt. employees



General Dwight D. Eisenhower

>Elected president in 1952-Republican

>A strong president to defend against communism

>Conservative on Civil Rights

"I don't believe you can change the hearts of men with laws or decisions



Baby boom

>Soldiers come home; women laid off working

>More babies are born than in any other generation









The Other America


The 1950s

*Was a time for great economic prosperity-mostly for wealthier White Americans

*40 million Americans live in poverty and don't see this economic growth

*Many of the poor are minorities who end up living in run down, filthy conditions in cities.
They live seperated from wealthier Americans in areas called ghettos



Braceros

*During WWII hired hands are needed to do temporary work. The U.S. set up this program to hire Mexicans who are supposed to return to Mexico



1953-55

*U.S. deports 2 million Mexicans and other illegal aliens

*Mexican/Latin American immigrants suffer


1948

*California Supreme Court ends segregated classrooms for Mexican Americans

*Mendez v. Westminster (1946)